Off the beaten path

So, people keep telling me to write about what I enjoy. Well, I really enjoy food. So I decided today I would post about some of my favorite restaurants, that are sort of hidden gems. You may have heard of some of them, but if you haven’t, or haven’t gone, I would definitely say give them a try.

Gaslight

Gaslight560.com

560 Harrison Ave, Boston

617.422.0224

Price Range: $$

Gaslight is located in the South End, a few streets behind Tremont. It’s a little hard to find, so punch it in your GPS. Hint for parking: they have free valet in the lot that’s used for the restaurant behind it. It’s French themed, and a little pricey, but the food is delicious. I would recommend the duck, and if you’re getting french fries (which I definitely think is a must) ask for the truffle fries. They’re not listed on the menu, but they’re tossed in truffle oil. (Explanation of truffle oil for non-foodies is here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truffle_oil). Deeelish. For dessert, definitely the creme brulee. They also have a really great wine selection, and pretty extensive martini list. It’s also a good idea to make a reservation, they use Yelp and OpenTable for that if you’re adverse to calling places.

Green Land Café

Thegreenlandcafe.com

87 Washington Street, Salem

978.744.7766

Price Range: $$

The Green Land Cafe is right near the train station in Salem, so it’s really accessible. They’re thing is they use sustainable ingredients and get everything from local farms around the area. The menu changes seasonally, depending on what they’re getting in. They also have cold and hot tapas, so if you go for a hot date and don’t want to get an entire meal, you can be cute and share some things. The boyfriend and I got fried artichokes, which was an entire artichoke heart fried and drizzled with balsamic vinegar. Again, I got the duck special (see a pattern?) and he got a frenched pork chop, both of which were very good. They also offer organic and sustainable brands of wine, and organic beers, and nightly drink specials.

The Gulu-Gulu Café

247 Essex Street, Salem

978.740.8882

Gulu-gulu.com

Price Range: $ – $$

Another Salem gem. This little place is located right down the street from The Green Land Cafe. It has an extremely relaxed atmosphere, with mismatched tables and chairs, couches, and board games. You can be served on the couches too, which is a lot of fun. They have a HUGE craft beer list, and a full bar. The menu is funky, with crepes and flavored cappuccinos next to sandwiches and salads. It’s on the cheaper side, too. They serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and have open mic nights and either live music or a DJ every weekend. They don’t give you grief if you want to go there and hang out on your laptop to do some work, either.

Sibling Rivalry

525 Tremont Street, Boston

617.338.5338

Siblingrivalryboston.com

Price Range: $$$

This intriguing place is right in the heart of the South End in Boston. Their claim to fame is the two chefs, Chef David and Chef Bob, who are brothers, which the name implies. The menu is double-sided, with the brothers taking the same set of ingredients and crafting their own interpretations of meals made out of them. The boyfriend took me here on my birthday, and it was amazing. I had the crispy pressed duck (shocking), and it was delish. The creme brulee, clearly another favorite of mine, was outstanding as well. This is definitely a splurge type of dinner, so I would save it for special occasions.

Well, there you have it. My four favorite restaurants of all time. Give them a try, and let me know what you think.

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About MaryMallard

I'm obsessed with social media, good food, and my dog. I just want to leave a footprint in the world, no matter how small.
I hope this blog entertains you, makes you think, or inspires you to try new things. If you have anything to say, don't hesitate to say it.
And if there are ever truffle fries on a menu, order them.